The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-01-28

conversation of the day before, and re-
leased her from her vows to him.
IF any good fortune comes to me,
he concluded, '.you shall hear of it. If
| am silent it is because my life is
wrapped in silence and shadow. Bless
you, darling, for the light you have cast
upon it. 1t will be ike looking back
to Heaven. Idare not see you again
tested my strength to its full extent
yesterday. God grant that some better
man may win you; to love you better
is not within his power. Nor must
you think that | blame you that you
shrank from sharing the new life upon
which enter. Flowers car not live
without sunlight. / only wanted to
be sure that / made no mistake in in
terpreting the best course for your hap
piness."
And then, with few more warm,
passionate, loving words of farewell,
the letter closed. Two years passed,
and the little world that had known
Chester Thornley, SO we'll knew him no
more: He had entirely disappeared.
1t was as though the sea had opened
and swallowed him up. Marion Will
loughby was Marion Willoughby still.
If she suffered she made no sign, those
who had seen the one sparkling stone
which had been the pledge of her en-
gagement to Chester Thornley, noticed
that she wore it still, and others, yet
more narrow watchers, observed that
always when she entered a crowded
room she would take hasty glance
around, as though expecting to find
some one not there She was yet but
%, a belle and beauty still. The
third winter of his absence she left
home to spend several weeks with an
aunt.
81 can not spare you," her father
had said, when the invitation came
But she, going close to him and lay
ing her head for moment on his
breast, said:
81 think, papa, it would be best"
They were simple words, but he in
terpreted them Alright. The old wound
would not cease its bleeding She
wanted to go amid new scenes, so he
only kissed her and babe her to remem-
Der that the old father awaited her re-
turn.
"You have not been through the
steel works." some one said to her one
day. at is really most interesting
sight. Will you join a party if we
make up one to visit them, Miss Will
loughby?"
"With pleasure" she answered,
lightly.
And her aunt, charmed with the sue
cess of her beautiful niece, smiled at
Clay Clayton's numerous devices to in
snare Marion's society. He was the
great pGrti of the place. She had heard
something of some early disappoint-
ment in Marion's life. It would be a
splendid triumph thus to obliterate it.
The morning appointed for the expe-
dition dawned beautiful and bright
They seemed, indeed, like drones in
truding upon some busy hive of work.
ers as they entered the great building
and looked about them. Department
after department they visited, watch
ing with interest the delicate machin-
cry and its wonderful working.
Marion's cheeks flushed with interest,
and Clay Clayton, noting, thought he
had never seen her look so beautiful
To-day he determined he must speak,
when suddenly he heard a cry, and
glancing up saw her standing quite
apart from the group, her eyes ablaze,
her lips quivering. At little distance
from her, adjusting some piece of ma
chinery, was man in a working
blouse. Her cry also attracted him and
he looked up. Their eyes met. His
face grew deathly pale, but gave no
other sign of recognition. She went
straight toward him. oblivious of all,
with hand outstretched.
Chester she said, in avoice scarce
louder than a whisper; "at last?"
He bowed low in response and took
no notice of her hand, but the old
dauntless pride was in the uplifted
head and fearless glance.
'Did you know that l was here?"
she questioned.
mo-" he replied. 81 am no longer
in your world"
"You will come to see me?"
81 can not"
Here his voice broke little.
"Mr. Clayton" she said, ''let me
present my friend, Mr.. Thornley,"
Spite of the innate breeding of the
man, some of the instructive surprise at |
hearing a steel-worker addressed by
Miss Willoughby as q friend made it.
self apparent in the manner he vet
strove to conceal.
Then the party passed on. He won
dered, however, why Marion fingered |
a moment in the office to address the
superintendent some questions as they
came out into the air. He had meant, |
too, to ask her on the way home the
question which all the day, and for |
many days, had been trembling on his
lips, but there was new expression in
her eyes and mouth which instantly
told him this was not the time to plead |
his cause.
Had that fellow inside, who bowed so |
like a gentleman, been otherwise than |
workman, he might have suspected |
him as in some way responsible. 1t |
was quite singular enough as it was
that Miss Willoughby should have adj
dressed him as friend Doubtless
some man who had seen better days,
and for whom she felt womanly pity.
"Can / see Mr., Thornley?'
The mistress of the humble little cot
tage in one of the suburbs of the large
city looked up amazed at the beautiful
young lady who asked the question.
Indeed, suppose you may. He's